


Donnie's Cat-astrophe

by Nyxteria



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2012), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: Bad Luck, Cats, Chaos, Comedy, Experimentation, For the giggles, Gen, Nothing serious, Transformation, Writing Exercise, for fun, test
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-07
Updated: 2016-07-14
Packaged: 2018-05-25 05:29:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 21,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6182380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nyxteria/pseuds/Nyxteria
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Donnie finds himself in a ridiculous predicament and must find a way to solve it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. An accident

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so this is my very VERY first attempt at writing something. At least a story that's more than a short scribble. This is mostly for fun and nothing serious. Just a random light story with some comedy and random things happening.
> 
> Do tell me if it feels like something is missing or if there are any errors! I also don't mind any advice or suggestions, this is all a long test and just for fun after all.

Donnie sighted as he worked on another batch of mutagen.

He didn’t have a lot left and it wasn’t like they stumbled upon the goo every other day.  
He had to complete the retromutagen, there was no question about it and he was determined to succeed. He grabbed his coffee mug only to realise it had already gone cold, he wrinkled his nose and put it back.

He would have to get some more after he was done fixing this last bit..

“?!” Suddenly he heard a sound, surprising him as he dropped his tool he was holding, he looked up only to find the lab door was open. He was sure he closed it.. He got up and went to close it again.

“Maybe I should get that coffee.. and check the door isn’t broken.” He mumbled to himself, stopping for a moment.

“I’ll just fix this one thing and then go for that coffee..” He closed the door and got back to his desk to sit down, for a moment looking around for the tool he had dropped, it had rolled under the desk of all places.  
Donnie grumbled and bent down to get it, not noticing something had entered his lab.

He looked up in surprise when he heard a sound, only to discover there was a cat on his desk. Probably something Mikey brought in. He sometimes did that when he found animals that he wanted to help.

“.. What? MIKEY!” *He quickly grabbed the cat and walked out of his lab, only to find Mikey looking around for something, probably the cat.

“Lost something?” He stated and held the cat up.  
“Oh there you are~!” He exclaimed happily. “Thanks D! I thought she had run off somewhere!” Mikey took the cat and hugged it. He paused when he realised his brother did not look amused.

“Well she did, into my LAB! I TOLD you to keep track of the things you bring in! Also, Sensei is not too fond of cats..” He pointed out.

“But she was cold and needed food!” He protested. “It’s only for a while anyway until I find her a home, isn’t that right~?” He pouted at Donnie only to moments later cuddle with the cat again.

“I am not gonna argue with you on that point, but could you at least TRY not to lose her again?” Donnie sighted and went back to his lab to keep working. His younger brother called something behind him but he didn’t really bother to listen and only waved his hand in response.

He didn’t mind Mikey helping stray animals, but he did mind when he let them wander off into his lab.

\-----------------

Mikey saw his brother leave, not bothering to answer his call, he sighted a little.  
But he knew better than to bother Donnie too much when he was caught up in his work, well, not that that would usually stop him, but he didn’t bother him ALL the time, only when he was bored or wanted company.  
Besides he didn’t need more scolding today.

He had enough for the day when Raph found him kind of sneaking into his room without permission.. It wasn’t on purpose he swore! But he had thought the cat had sneaked in there and he HAD to check..

Unfortunately she wasn’t there and Raph came just in time to discover what he was doing, earning him a good chase around the lair and a massive scolding from the angry turtle.

“Alright buddy! Let’s get something to eat for you!” He gingerly headed off into the kitchen with the cat, pondering a bit about what he should name her. He couldn’t keep calling her ‘the cat’ after all.

\----------------

“One drop should do it..” *He hovered over the jar, carefully dripping down the recently mixed liquid into the mutagen.  
“…” He carefully looked at it, waiting for something to happen. When nothing did he sighted in disappointment.

“Another failure!” He hit the desk angrily, what he didn’t realise was that the cat had done more than just walk around on the desk, it had toppled over his holder for all his pencils and smaller tools, he slammed his hand down right on top of something sharp.

“Ow!” Donnie jerked back in surprise and hit something with his elbow.  
He grumbled at how clumsy that was. Probably a sign he should take a break, how many hours had he been working for anyway?  
He sighted heavily and started to clean up the mess, then something from his desk started to drip down over the edge.

“Aah!” He yelped in surprise as the cold liquid hit his arm, suddenly he felt intense pain.  
He gasped in surprise, what was going on? What had hit him? He had to get it off!  
He scrambled for a towel to try and wipe it off. But before he could he was lost in a haze, not being able to tell up from down, or what it was that was hurting so badly.

When the pain faded and he came to, he realised something seemed very off, the first thing he noticed was that he could barely see any colours, the second thing that it all seemed a bit.. too big. He realised his gear was lying all around him on the floor, which seemed very peculiar and odd.

“Eh? What’s going on here? What was I-“ He stared at the mutagen splotch in front of him in horror.  
The liquid slowly dripping down from the desk. No! This couldn’t be happening! .. Could it? He struggled to stand only to realise his balance was off, it was easier to move forward on all four legs.

Donnie slowly made his way to a shiny piece of metal he had lying around in his lab, those he had no shortage of and it worked well enough as a mirror. He stared at the contorted form on the shiny surface.

“.. I’m.. a cat?” He just stared at the image, feeling the panic surge forward. No, he had to calm down, he had to fix this somehow and there probably was a way.. he hoped.


	2. More problems

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Donnies new condition doesn't seem to be his only problem.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright next chapter! It will roughly be a weekly thing I think? I'll try to anyway. I keep them at around a 1000 words since I'm new to writing these kinds of things.

Mikey walked into the kitchen and placed the cat onto the table.

“Let’s get something to eat for you!” he petted the cat on the head and went to grab a can of his stored cat food.  
He poured the contents out into a bowl and put it on the table, his brothers would probably complain if they realised he put it on the table but they were not here.

“Hmm…” He stared intently at the cat. “You need a name.. what should we call you..? Hmm Hmm..” He looked the cat over, inspected it and pondered for a moment. The cat looked back at him and seemed content with its food. Its eyes reminded him of something..

“Ah!” He snapped his fingers, they kind of had the same colour as the character in the movie he saw last week.

“Your name is Yoda!” He exclaimed happily, nuzzling the cat, not minding the smell of cat food.

\---------------------

Donnie looked at his reflection, what was he going to do now, tell the others?

“I really have to-“ He jumped when the lab door slammed open, a somewhat irritated Raph entering the lab, he stared a bit chocked at him.

“Donnie! Where are you?! I need-“ He stopped in his tracks and looked around in the lab, not finding the genius anywhere as he had expected.

“Huh?” He seemed a bit surprised, and then started to look around. “Donnie?”

Donnie looked at Raph as he seemed puzzled as to why he wasn’t in his lab, except that he was. There was no choice, was there?

“Raph I’m right here! I had an accident..” He huffed out, a tad annoyed. But Raph didn’t seem to answer, he just stopped and stared in his direction.

“A cat? What’s that doing here?” He mumbled something and walked up to the cat, Donnie was sure he could faintly hear it was something about Mikey. He looked up at Raph, wondering why he didn’t reply.

“I told you it was an accident, it’s me! Donnie!” He exclaimed and looked up at Raph, he seemed so big now that he was so small. “Wah-“ He yelped in surprise when Raph lifted him up by the neck.

“You’re a talkative one aren’t ya?” He stated before looking around one last time. “Guess he ain’t here.. but you shouldn’t be either.” He stomped out of the lab and lightly threw him out, it wasn’t too rough but it still surprised him as he flew through the air and landed on all four.

“Out you go!” Donnie watched as Raph closed the door on his lab shut. “NO! I need to be there! You can’t just throw me out! Let me back in!” He rushed to the door and tried to make Raph understand. He clearly didn’t seem to listen to anything he said, and he was starting to question if Raph, or anyone else for that matter, actually could understand him..

He looked a bit surprised at the cats’ persistency, it REALLY seemed to want to be there, but Donnie would scold him if he let it.

“No way, you stay away from there. MIKEY! One of your pets went into Dons lab again!” He yelled angrily straight out into the lair, the turtle in question popping his head out from the kitchen.

“Huh?? What are you talking about? Yoda’s right here!” He exclaimed and held the cat up for emphasis. He then spotted the other cat who seemed a bit upset.

“Another one?? I only brought one in I swear!”

“Heck I don’t care! There is two now so you take care of it!” Mikey looked a bit annoyed at Raph but didn’t really mind there being two, more to cuddle with!

“Aw don’t listen to Raphie, he is just a big soft guy with a mean exterior.” He said to the cat, assuming it was upset due to Raphs angry tone. Once he said that he put the cat down and ran away, as he noted the turtle giving him an angry glare.

“Come back here!”  
Donnie sighted as he saw Raph chase Mikey around for a bit before catching him and giving him a nudgie in the head. “Okay okay I give! You win!” Mikey shouted and Raph smiled wide. “Good.”

He released his grip, suddenly remembering why he was here to begin with. “By the way have you seen Donnie?”  
“He wasn’t in his lab? That was the last time I saw him.” Mikey shrugged.

“Maybe he went to April’s?” He suggested. Donnie sighted in frustration as he listened to his brothers. This was getting him nowhere. Suddenly he heard a hostile sound, he looked around in surprise to find Mikey’s cat, apparently now named Yoda, hiss at him.

“.. What have I ever done to you..??” He stared back at it, but it didn’t seem willing to back away and only hissed more. Well, he DID throw it out of the lab.. but it couldn’t possibly know that was him? Right? The others obviously didn't.

“Uh.. Okay easy now..” The fur on Yoda bristled and she seemed to try to chase him away, Donnie backed a bit and decided this was best resolved as peacefully as possible.. He realised it might be a territory thing, since he was a cat now. She might view him as a threat..

“Okay I have no plan on chasing you away.. So will you just leave me alone??” He slowly backed away from the obviously upset cat. Why did Mikey have to find such an angry cat now of all times?? He didn’t really know how to make the cat understand he wasn’t a threat.. but ignoring her and peacefully move away was probably the best option for now.

As he did so the cat seemed to grow more confident, it jabbed her paw out towards him in a final warning and then stalked off to happily greet Mikey and stroke against his leg.

“You two-faced devil..” He mumbled as he watched the cat go from totally aggressive to a completely sweet and cuddly little furball. He decided then and there he did not like that cat.


	3. Complications

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This day just isn't going his way, and more trouble seems to be heading in their direction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter three! It took slightly longer, I also made it longer than the others. I'm currently studying abroad and went back to my parents this weekend, which is why I didn't have as much time on this.

Donnie drew a heavy sight, this day just never seemed to end, and he still had not been able to sneak into his lab! No one had opened the door since Mikey closed it. He had tried jumping for it, but he just couldn’t manage to get it open, even if he could reach it he couldn’t put enough weight onto it to actually get it open.

Giving up on that and deciding to wait for a moment to see if anyone in his family decided to open the door, he was lying on the floor a few meters away, slowly starting to give up on this idea too. 

The others seemed to think he might have gone to the junkyard and forgot to tell them, which he did sometimes. But their excuses for why he wasn’t in the lair or nowhere to be found would eventually grow thin and they would begin to worry and start looking. It was just a matter of time..

He didn’t want them to worry, if they went out looking for him they could get themselves in trouble, and for no reason at all considering he was right here, it felt frustrating.

“Oh come on! This will take all day..” He grumbled to himself, impatiently slamming the tip of the tail at the floor. It wasn’t like anyone else seemed to understand him anyway and this was getting him nowhere. 

He played with the idea to go out and see if he could find April.. or Casey.. maybe, no one would think it odd if a cat walked around, rather than a big mutant turtle.. But then again it would take a lot longer to get there in his current shape, and he wasn’t sure he dared to leave the lair like this in the first place.

It just seemed slightly less of a good idea and despite being armed with claws and teeth he still felt rather small and defenceless.  
He was pretty sure it was due to the size, and the fact that he himself didn’t really find a little cat as something intimidating, and probably not any of their enemies either should they find out it was him. Though that risk seemed rather low at this point, he would be more likely to be hit by a car.

“HOW am I going to fix this..? Okay, don’t panic, there has to be a way.. If my brothers won’t get it’s me, maybe father or April will..?” He glanced towards Splinters room, he was meditating at the moment, and he wasn’t sure he dared to disturb, it would be worse still if he did not realise who he was.

“Maaybe I should wait a moment..” He was then interrupted in his thinking when Mikey sat down beside him and petted him on the head. “You talk a lot, don’t you~?” Mikey said with a big smile.  
“Mikey.. No.. I don’t have time for this..” He stated unhappily as Mikey pulled him in for a hug.

“Aww aren’t you just the softest thing~? What are you sitting around here for? Are you hungry~? I can get you something!” Mikey picked up the slightly unhappy cat, he hadn’t seen him eat anything and the cat seemed unhappy. He didn’t want that and tried his best to cheer it up, not knowing that it in fact was his brother.

“Don’t’ worry, I’ll get you something yummy!” He announced happily and carried Donnie away to the kitchen, there wasn’t much to do about it so he let himself get carried away by Mikey. 

He quickly looked around when they entered the kitchen, but Yoda didn’t seem to be there anymore, which was good. She had made it a point to chase him out of the kitchen whenever he tried to enter.

“Mikey I don’t want any.. and your evil cat isn’t making things easier..” He was really annoyed at Yoda, she was just.. SO mean. But only towards him, then she was this really nice, cuddly, sweet cat whenever anyone else turned up or watched. He wondered if she would suck up to him as well if he had not been a cat. Mikey wasn’t helping either, she was only mean behind his back and he never seemed to notice. Some ninja.

Donnie was pulled from his thoughts about Yoda when Mikey placed him down and put a plate of cat food in front of his nose. Mikey was almost lying all over the table and looked overly excited at him.

"I am NOT eating that..!” He exclaimed and made it a point by backing away and turning his head in the other direction.

“You should at least understand this if you don’t get what I’m saying.” He complained and tried to make it as obvious as possible he wasn’t going to eat that pile of.. goo.

“Huh.. I thought a cat would like cat food.. “ Mikey rested his head in his hands and looked a bit confused at the cats reaction, it really seemed to dislike it, and complained a lot.

“I like it, see? It’s good!” He grabbed a bite and ate it happily. “Yummy! It’s not bad.” He pushed the plate towards the cat and looked expectantly at it, now that he had showed the cat it was perfectly fine to eat.

Donnie felt sick, Mikey ate all kinds of things and it was always kind of gross to see him do it. It was a wonder he didn’t get sick.. and just because Mikey could eat it didn’t mean he would do it. Heck Mikey could eat ANYTHING, and he wasn’t about to follow that particular path, though there were worse things than cat food.

“Mikey what are you doing..?” Leo’s question reached out to the kitchen as the turtle walked in, looking at the cat.  
“Hm? Feeding the cat~ And trying to come up with a good name!” He gingerly answered, waiting to see if the cat would take the food.

“You’re not supposed to put it on the table Mikey, just like you’re not supposed to use it like a sofa or have your feet on it.” He corrected and looked sternly at the younger turtle as he picked the cat up and put it on the floor, watching Mikey sight and get off the table he was almost lying on top of.

“I was just trying to feed the cat! He hasn’t eaten anything yet, and I don’t think he likes the other cat..” Mikey sighted, he wanted them to be friends, but this cat seemed to just try and avoid Yoda, she was so nice too.. he didn’t get why.

“You can feed it on the floor. NOT the table.” He put a finger up and instructed him on how he was supposed to do it, taking the plate and putting it down.

“See? There you go little fella, eat up.” He encouraged the cat, who just stared at the plate to then walk away.

“See what I mean? Maybe you made him mad cause he wasn’t allowed to eat at the table.” Mikey pointed out and pouted slightly.

“Mikey that’s ridiculous.. It’s a cat, they don’t use tables. Maybe he’s just not hungry?”  
“But he hasn’t eaten AT ALL! I’m worried, okay?” He pouted and looked a bit annoyed at Leo.

“Okay, okay, so maybe it’s a bit stressed, or miss its home? We should let it go back up top side you know..” Leo glanced in the direction of Splinters room, he felt uncomfortable to have somehow allowed Mikey to take in something that their sensei didn’t really like.

“You always say that! Think about the cat, what if it gets lonely and scared if we do that? Huh? It might not have a home! Did you think about that??” Mikey sounded a bit angry this time, Donnie stopped and sat down, looking at his brothers.

“Ugh.. Would you two just realise-“ He spotted Yoda then, pouncing at him from his left. His eyes widened, she was about to actually attack him.

“.. No! Bad cat! Stay away!” He immediately decided to bolt for his brothers, he was NOT going to end up in a cat fight and get an eye clawed out. It wasn’t like he could fight the way he was used to, and he wasn’t exactly comfortable with his new body yet. Slightly clumsy actually, compared to an actual cat.

Leo was about to argue back when suddenly he saw the cat come running back, first he assumed it had changed its mind, but instead chaos ensued. The cat was in such a hurry he lost grip on the floor and skidded across, hitting the plate with cat food, only to straight after climb up along Leo’s leg like a ladder, he froze as he felt the claws dig into his skin.

“… Eek!” Mikey quickly grabbed the food covered cat and tried to pry him loose from Leo’s shoulder.

Yoda came running not far behind, but she was slowing down as she spotted Leo and Mikey, only to sit down and lick her paw, seeming perfectly calm as if nothing had happened.

“Wow.. I didn’t think he was that scared of Yoda?” Mikey said a bit surprised, as there didn’t seem to be anything else there, and Yoda didn’t seem to be running from anything either. Making sure everything seemed fine and had started to calm down, he couldn’t help himself..

“Are you feline fine, Leo?” Mikey said and grinned widely at him.

“Huh? Yea I’m fine, just need a bath with all the cat fo.. Hey! That wasn’t funny!” It took him a moment to realise Mikey’s joke, Donnie rolled his eyes a bit at the young turtles pun. 

“Heheh!” Mikey couldn’t help but giggle a bit at the whole mess, as much as he felt sorry for them, it did look really funny as it happened. “Sorry bro, couldn’t resist~”

“Great..” Donnie quickly tried to let go of Leo when he realized he was digging his claws into his skin. Now this was just embarrassing, he wasn’t sure if he really wanted them to realise it was him anymore, but on the other hand, them not knowing made things a lot more difficult, he had to find something to get the message across.

“But all my paper and pencils are in the lab.. I’ll have to find it from somewhere else..” As soon as he got enough space to actually go searching..

“He needs a bath..” *Leo held his nose and looked at the cat covered in cat food, with the fur all smudged.

“No way am I doing that! Have you seen the internet videos of people bathing their cats?” Mikey pointed out to Leo and said it like a grave warning.

“Oh come on, it’s just a bath. Besides we are NOT letting him walk around the lair like this, it’s going to get messy and we JUST cleaned it! Sensei would want to know what’s going on as well. I am not taking the risk.” He stated in a calm but determined fashion.

“I’ll do it if you don’t want to, but you are cleaning this kitchen, okay?” He said as he grabbed the cat from Mikey, who seemed to have completely calmed down, before looking decisively at Mikey saying it like it was an order.

“Fine..! But if I am right and he does go crazy.. I am deciding what we watch tonight!” Leo looked a bit hesitantly at Mikey’s sudden turn, he didn’t really like the idea of making a bet out of it but.. 

“Deal, if I win we watch what I want.” He couldn't say no to a chance of watching some extra episodes. He turned and walked away, Mikey grinning widely at him. "You will be sorry~" He teased.

Now this was a slightly amusing turn of events, he was now in a position where he could decide which of his brothers would win their little bet. He didn’t really feel like watching another episode of space heroes, but Mikey’s wasn’t going to be any better.. Too bad he couldn’t have a say in it.. Then he realized Leo was actually walking away with him to the bathroom for a bath, right now. Could this day get any worse?

“Guys! Donnie is still not back! I don’t care what you say I am going out looking for him! I’m guna hit him in the face so hard for this!” Raph angrily pointed out as he appeared in front of Leo, crossing his arms and looking really determined to go through with his endeavor. “..What the shell happened to you?” He looked a bit surprised at Leo.

“Just an accident. And we don’t know that..! He might be fine, just late. You know he forgets the time. No need to rush out heedlessly and start smashing-“

“Cut the crap Leo!” He poked a finger in his plastron, ignoring the messy cat he was holding.

“You’re just making excuses, he’s been gone for over an hour or more and he isn’t answering his T-phone, something’s up!”

“Things.. Raph we don’t even know where he went.” Leo sighted.

“But I think you’re right.. We should start looking, we could go to the places he usually go to first. But NO beating up purple dragons or confronting any foot unless we’re sure he isn’t anywhere he usually is, recon only, okay?” He eyed Raph for a moment, looking satisfied when the angry turtle was taken aback by his response.

Raph was a bit surprised by the fact that Leo admitted he was right about something so easily, but he quickly regained his composure.

“Alright, alright! But if there is trouble I’m so smashing in their heads.” He huffed.

Yes it could. Much worse. He didn’t want to know what they would do once they realized he was “nowhere” to be found, he could probably guess. But it wasn’t anything good, what if they busted into Shredders lair only to get caught? Way to put the team in danger without even being gone genius..


	4. Help needed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Donnie tries to get help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The other one was a bit longer and this one is a bit shorter! But I think it's going decently so far?

”No no no no! Don’t go!” Donnie ran after his brothers as they quickly jumped across the stairs, he was fast, but not fast enough. He watched as they closed the shell raiser’s door in front of him and drove off.

“.. I need to get help.” He quickly ran back, pausing a moment to think about who he could actually get help from, April? She wouldn’t understand if he tried to call, he had to go out and find her. Which probably either way would be faster than trying to chase his brothers.. or..

“I am gonna have to intrude on Sensei’s meditation time..” He sighted.  
But it was worth a try, and if he got through to him he could probably help. He carefully looked around, his mission was simple, avoid Yoda, and get to Splinter, no fuss, no clawed out eyes and hopefully someone who understood who he was. At least that was the aim.

Carefully he sneaked back into the lair, looking around for that evil thing, by the sounds she seemed to be in the kitchen.

“.. Good, now I just need to..” He sneaked off towards the dojo and splinters room, after a short moment though he felt as if he were followed. Looking around the annoying cat was definitely sneaking on him, as if she hunted him.

“…” He looked at Yoda, she had frozen when he turned around, as if that would make him not notice her..

“Can you please NOT?” He complained, he knew the moment he turned around she would resume her “sneak” attack. He had definitely had enough of this and couldn’t wait to get back to normal.

Glancing at the dojo he made a dash for it, she followed behind him. He just couldn’t get why she was so persistent on bothering him.

“The lair is big enough to not run into each other! Why won’t you leave me alone??” he yelled at her as he ran through the dojo, past the tree and darted for his Sensei’s room. The door was closed.

“!” He turned and ran along the side, running around the tree with Yoda following behind.

“Oh come on!” He ran up along the tree and she followed as he climbed up, he ran out on a branch. She persistently followed. He could tell she wasn’t going to let this go as she hissed and walked towards him.

“SENSEI!! HEEELP!” He decided to instead make as much noise as possible, Splinter would be angry yes, but hopefully it would at least gain his attention. He jumped down and landed on the floor, quickly picking up his running again, she followed. Donnie managed to feint her at a sharp turn, gaining an extra few second, he quickly used the time to scratch on the door frames to his father’s room.

“PLEASE OPEN THE DOOR!” Then he ran again. The running however did make him start to get more used to his body, it was good practice if anything..   
He was starting to wonder if he might actually have a chance at keeping her at bay now. He could probably trick her if the right opportunity was presented. His thoughts of a counter attack was however interrupted when the door slid open and an annoyed rat looked through the doors.

“What is this noise?” He said in a controlled but slightly angry tone. Donnie immediately reacted and rushed forward, sitting in front of him.

“Sensei I’m sorry I just..” He realised his mistake when he could feel Yoda coming up behind him. He quickly covered down and put his paws over his face to protect it from the claws.

“..?” He was surprised when he didn’t feel any pain, he heard the hissing but.. He looked up.  
Yoda had jumped over him, apparently identifying Splinter as a bigger and more terrifying threat and had tried to attack him instead. Of which he had simply lifted her up in the neck and was now looking at her disapprovingly. He clearly disliked cats.

“I thought I told Michelangelo..” He sighted, looking down at the other cat, who acted a bit more peculiar, almost as if..

“Sensei!” Donnie wasted no time, this was probably his only chance, or he would simply get thrown out.


	5. Recognition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trouble just seems to be headed their way and Donnie finally seems to start getting somewhere with his own problems.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I finished this chapter way earlier than planned and ended up staying up way too late in the process. So here is an extra chapter!

”Hmm.. How about Scribbles?” Mikey suggested to no one in particular.

“Wut?” Raph raised an eyebrow and looked at Mikey, wondering what idiocy the turtle was up to now.

“Nah you’re right, he talks but he doesn’t write. Cause he is a cat..” Seeing Raph’s expression Mikey cleared it for him.

“The other cat doesn’t have a name yet.” Raph looked at Mikey and gave him a slap in the back of his head.*

“Ow! Why you-!” 

“Oh will you guys just… Ssssscchh!!” Leo interrupted them both and glared them down.

“We still haven’t found Donnie and you guys are NOT helping right now!” Leo bit his lip, he was really starting to worry now, they didn’t find him at the junkyard, he hadn’t talked to April all day and he seemed to be nowhere to be found.

“Shut up, you still smell of cat food.” Raph countered. “Probably scaring everyone away with your smell..” He added in a less than discreet mumble. He was really worried too, but he wasn’t about to show it just like that.

“Oh that is SO helpful, thank you for that information Raph! Really appreciated.." He said as ironically has he could muster.

"Could you guys just focus for one-“ Raph suddenly covered Leo’s mouth with his hand and pointed behind him. As they glanced down they could see a van and..

“Foot bots?” Mikey whispered. “What are they doing?” He leaned over to get a better look.  
“I dunno.. But we better check it out, they might know where Donnie is..”

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Donnie looked up at Splinter, intently staring and hopefully getting some kind of message across. When the rat seemed to study him but not do anything else he started to quickly try to show him, at first he tried to demonstrate a move a cat wouldn’t do, to show he wasn’t actually a cat. Only problem was, he had the body of one.

Resulting in him quickly getting up and make a weird twist, get his feet all tangled up, to then stumble forward and fall flat on his face.

“Bad plan.. Do over!” He got up as quickly as he could manage, it had to be something simpler.. He looked around.

“!” Then he saw it, their weapons! That might do the trick.. He quickly ran forward and sat beside the bo-staff, placing a paw on his staff, then intently looking at splinter.

“Please understand me..”

Splinter held Yoda with one hand, the cat wasn’t moving but complaining slightly. The other cat was however acting odd indeed.

“What are you trying to say..?” He looked curiously at the cat, it seemed to want something, the way it stared. He couldn’t quite place it, but those eyes were familiar.. When it fell forward he was not sure what to think of it, it’s manners wasn’t that of a cat at all.  
Almost as if it wasn’t used to being a cat, the movements seemed a bit off in everything it did. He allowed it to walk around and followed, wondering what it might want to show.

“Hmm..” He was a bit surprised when the cat placed its paw on the bo-staff, it seemed to want to tell him something regarding Donatello..? Then it hit him, he made the connection when he once again saw those brown eyes stare at him.

“.. Donatello?” He didn’t show a lot, but you could tell he was surprised to find his son suddenly in the form of a cat.

“How did this happen? Can you fix it? .. Do your brothers now?”

Donnie sighted with relief as he saw Splinters expression of recognition, he was however having a hard time answering his father’s worried questions.

“Uhm, I’d love to tell you but.. You don’t exactly seem to get anything of what I’m saying.. Can we stick to yes and no questions? So I can actually answer?” He was trying to make gestures with his front paws as he spoke, drawing a question mark in the air, followed by nodding and shaking his head. 

“Ah yes, forgive me, I was a bit hasty. I think I understand..” He said after observing his son trying to get the message across. He placed Yoda down, who quickly retreated up into the tree and hissed at him. He gave her a look and returned to the problem at hand.

“Yes and no questions would be easier to answer.” He stated as a fact. It wasn’t ideal but as long as they could communicate that was a good start.

“Do your brothers know?” He asked and Donnie shook his head. Splinter sighted, it WAS a bit too quiet around here..

“Did they go out looking for you?” He sighted when the cat, that now in a surprising twist of events had turned out to be one of his sons, nodded its head.  
“I better call your brothers and explain the situation.” Splinter calmly stated and went to his oddly looking phone, which resembled a cheese. He waited for Leo to pick up, when he did not Splinter looked at the phone.

“Hm, perhaps they are occupied, we will have to try call again soon.. But first, you smell bad, you need a bath.” He wrinkled his nose.

“I uhm, had an accident in the kitchen..” He hung his head down and sighted. He just hoped his brothers weren’t in any trouble..

\---------------------------------------------------------------------

Raph dodged the sharp sword as the bot slashed at him, he grabbed the bots hand, jerking it forward and with precision stabbed his sai between its eyes.

“Rah!” He quickly rushed forward to the next one, the bots looked quickly from each other to the oncoming attacker, preparing for combat.

“Ugh..” Leo sighted as he joined the battle, slicing a bot in two as he protected Raph’s left side.

“I TOLD you to wait!”  
While his brothers argued Mikey swiftly jumped in with a backflip, taking out two bots in one move.*

“Aw yeah! Did you guys-” He was interrupted and realised they hadn’t seen it because they were too busy arguing again and sighted, slumping forward slightly. 

“Wait? For all we know Donnie might have been kidnapped! He could be in that van right now!” Raph yelled back.

“We don’t know that! This could be a trap, or something completely unrelated!”

“Who cares? They aren’t up to any good anyways! ‘sides they might know something, or he might actually be there..!” He said and looked at the empty van as he busted it open.

“..Or not. Wha..? Empty?” There wasn’t even any weapons or high tech in it, or anything stolen for that matter.

“See? I told you..!” Leo stopped in his tracks as his T-phone started to ring.  
“Uhm dudes? Now’s not the time to argue.” Mikey pointed out as Rahzar and Fishface appeared.

“Heh, what do we have here? Little turtles putting their beaks where they shouldn’t~?”

Leo quickly rejected the call and raised his swords, whoever it was would have to wait.


	6. Battle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Battle ensues!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Already chapter 6? Didn't think this would get so long, but I keep each one rather short so I suppose that's why. First combat! Not sure it's consistent enough but I hope it will do!

”Very well, I will contact them again later, in the meantime..” Splinter picked the cat that was Donatello up and carried him away, wrinkling his nose slightly.

“Uhm.. Sensei?” Donnie could only hang in the rat's arms as he was carried away, Yoda silently observed them as they disappeared.

“Are you REALLY going to give me a bath??” His father hadn’t done that to him since he was a toddler, and frankly it would feel a bit weird now as he was older. Donnie was sure he could do it himself, despite being a cat.

The old rat carried Donnie and placed him in the tub, starting the water and waiting for it to get warm enough. As the water poured Donnie shuddered when he got hit with some, it felt.. Really uncomfortable, he realised. Oh no, this was going to feel like how a cat experiences it..

“Oh shell you are. I can do it myself! No need to help, really. I can manage.” If he was he’d rather go slow and easy instead of being washed, but Splinter gave him no room for escape as he gently but firmly pushed him in under the water. Donnie tensed as he felt the water hit him.

“GAAH get me out! Why is this so awful?!” The discomfort was immense and he just wanted to move away from it, desperately trying to grab at anything to pull himself away from it, too busy to listen to what Splinter was saying. He suddenly felt a light pressure on his neck and found himself relaxing again. After that he meekly sat there, accepting his fate as Splinter scrubbed his fur clean with water and soap.

\-----------------------------------------------------

He was a bit surprised at his son’s reaction, he didn’t expect Donatello of all people to make such a fuss, as he clearly went rigid from the water to then desperately try to get away.

“My son, you need to relax. It is only a bath.” He however did not seem to listen at all, he sighted and placed a finger on a pressure point to get him to relax a bit.

“It will be over soon, but I need to get this dirt out of you.” He said and made a point to try get it over with quickly, as his son seemed to dislike it. Splinter sort of missed this a bit, when they were toddlers, they used to love taking baths and play around in the bathtub. It was always great fun, if a bit messy.

He supposed Donnie’s discomfort was partly the unfamiliar feeling to take a bath with fur. That was a feeling they’d never had any experience in, being turtles. He himself had gotten used to it over the years as a rat, though his fur was a bit shorter than Donnie's right now.

\---------------------------------------------

Leo quietly observed their enemies, trying to assess the situation and come up with a good plan to get them out of there in one piece, and perhaps find out if they knew anything. He didn’t have to wonder about that long as Fishface by chance answered his unspoken question.

“Well, only three today? Shall we cut that down to two~?” He said as he spun his butterfly knife in his hand and taunted Raphael.

“Oh yeah?! We’ll see who’s a fillet on a plate when I’m done with you!” Raph growled at Fishface and raised his Sais.

Leo quickly determined that the chance they had anything to do with it were slim, or they would have used it against them and threatened them. But they didn’t, not in that way anyway, or was this another trick? Didn't seem like something they would do, they'd rather brag about something like that.

“Was he too scared to face us~? You should probably follow his example.” Rahzar chuckled and rasped his claws against the building as he slowly walked towards them.

“Raph calm down, remember we have more IMPORTANT matters than playing with these guys...” Leo said through gritted teeth as he raised his swords up, trying not to catch their enemy’s attention that their 4th member was in fact missing and not just busy with something else.

“He’s bus-“ Leo was about to say, but Mikey interrupted him.

“Nah, he’s just missing, have you guys seen him??” Leo face palmed.

“Mikey! Do not give our enemy information!” He exclaimed angrily at him while pointing with his sword. “Sorry bro... just thought I’d ask... Faster ya know?” Mikey said, ducking a bit under Leo’s yelling.

Leo blinked as Raph suddenly jumped in front of him, blocking Fishface’s knife. He realised with a start he had just done what the enemy wanted and had let himself get distracted in battle.

“Ya okay Leo? Get your head in the game!” Raph yelled at him.

“Ah.. yeah.. right! Thanks..!” He shook his head, this was not the time to make stupid mistakes. He rushed forward, ducking under Rahzar’s claws and sending a kick towards his knees, but he quickly moved out of the way.

Leo saw Mikey in the corner of his eye and quickly made a few hand signs, seeing as Mikey nodded in response he quickly rushed forward and attacked while Mikey nimbly jumped up along the building to get a bit of height.

“What’s the matter, can’t even hit a slow little turtle~?” He taunted as he dodged and slowly backed away. Rahzar growled at him and attacked.

“Now Mikey!” Before he even finished shouting Mikey came down with his nunchaku and slammed hard into Rahzar’s head.

“Boyakasha!!” Leo quickly swept his foot out to knock him down.

“Aw yea bro that’s what I’m talking about! High three!” Leo smiled a little and they slammed their hands together, then he turned and saw Raph tussle with Fishface, completely caught up in the moment.

“Okay, let’s help Raph and-“ Something quickly hit him in the side, slamming him against the wall. He could feel the pain in his shell from the impact as he hit the ground.

“Ugh..” He groaned slightly, trying to see what hit him. “Bro you okay??” Mikey was by his side, carefully helping him to stand up. He heard his enemy laugh. "Can't hit you say?" Raph was still engaged in combat with Fishface.

They clashed and jumped away, slowly walking in circles around each other, observing the other for another attack.

“Rah!” Raph lashed out with his Sais first, aiming to stab at Fishface breathing mechanism, he quickly dodged to the side and a foot flew up in his face, slamming him down hard against the ground.

“Ouf!”

Fishface smiled wide. “Hah!”

Raph growled and took a firm grip on Xevers foot, he stabbed it with a Sai and quickly twisted it sideways, throwing his opponent off-balance. Raphael quickly used the momentum to jump back to his feet and hit him straight in the face. He smiled in triumph as Fishface backed away and wiped his mouth.

“You’ll pay for that turtle!” He said as he discovered a tooth was missing.

“I’m going to enjoy ripping you out of your shell...” Rahzar said as he loomed over them.

“Nu-huh! Not gonna happen!” Mikey quickly attacked him and forced their enemy to back away slightly. Leo looked around them, the foot soldiers were long defeated, but it was only a matter of time before more arrived. Getting caught in more fighting was not on the list today.

“Guys! We retreat! Now!” He quickly threw a smoke bomb in Rahzar’s face and made it towards the roof. Mikey following close behind.

Raph however was a bit more reluctant to retreat. “Oh come on! We can totally take them!”

“Raph NOW! We don’t have time for this! Remember??” Raph stopped himself in the middle of an attack.

“..Tch! Next time I’ll make a barbeque out of ya!”

“Oh no you don’t!” Fishface quickly attacked Raph, but as the smoke bomb came down he lost sight of the turtle. He angrily lashed out with his knife, trying to find the turtle, Xever cursed when it was apparent they had gotten away.

“Hmph. They got away… What do we tell the Shredder?” 

“Nothing. We continue as planned.”


	7. We have a guest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A visit down the lair and some other things going on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And another chapter! I was really uncertain in which direction to take it, but I went with this for now, as this is a practice story and I didn't want to take the other route I was considering, it would have made it a bit more ambitious and added several more chapters than it already will be.

Raph stood on the rooftop with his arms crossed, bleeding from a thin line across his shoulder caused by Fishface’s butterfly knife.

“What was that good for?! We could take them! And you distracted me!” He pointed accusingly at Leo.

“Did you forget our mission already?” Leo glared at his angry brother. “Find. Donnie. Not get caught up in some tussle with Fishface and Rahzar!” He made a gesture towards the battle they had just parted.

“I’m sure we can take them on AND find Donnie..” Raph mumbled under his breath. “..So what’s next Fearless? Any idea where we should look?” He sighted, it was frustrating not to know where their brother was, or if he had gotten into any trouble, and he had to take it out on something, or someone.

“Okay, we should check the purple dragons next and then-“

“The purple dragons? Are you kidding me? No way could those lamos take any of us!” Raph puffed, the idea was absurd, unless they somehow had set up a really good trap. But they were too stupid for that, only time they managed something was with Fishface or someone else’s help to run things.

“It doesn’t hurt to check.” Was all Leo could respond with.

“Quit wasting time, we could check that last!”

“Well... do you have any suggestions then?” Leo looked at Raph sceptically while Mikey sighted.

“Do you guys reeeally need to have one of those day where you argue aaall the time right now?” Mikey complained. He just wanted to find his brother, clearly something was off since he still was nowhere to be seen, and they hadn’t found a single clue to his location yet. He decided to text April to explain what was going on while his brothers were busy arguing, no point listening to their blabber.

“There!” He sent the text, it only seemed fair to update her, as they had not left any explanation whatsoever when they asked her if she had talked to Donnie earlier. It might go faster if she looked around too...

Mikey sighted and looked a bit annoyed and slightly tiredly at his brothers who seemed to be able to go at it all day, he supposed they were worried and grumpy from the less than successful search.

\-------------------------------------------------------

Donnie was shaking slightly after the warm water stopped, it was a lot colder with wet fur than no fur. He shook himself to try get the water out, Splinter raised a towel to guard himself from the oncoming spray of water. Then he wrapped it around Donatello to help dry him off.

“Okay, okay, thanks for the help but I really can take it from here…” he mumbled as his father helped him. At least it was nice to be clean, and have that experience over with. He made a big note to not get dirty again.

“Guys?! Anyone here??” Donnie froze when he heard a familiar voice call throughout the lair, his ears perking up and looking in the direction of the voice.

“It seems we have a guest.” Splinter lifted his son up and out of the tub, carefully placing him down on the floor. He smiled a little as Donatello hurriedly rushed off with the towel still on his back.

“Perhaps it is best to get a hold of the others.” He calmly walked after the 'cat'.

Donnie rushed through the lair, perhaps she would be able to understand him, or at least partly. He hoped at least. Even if she couldn’t he would be glad just seeing her face.

“APRIL!” He was glad to see her, something about her always cheered him up, and her face was really nice to see right now.

\------------------------------------------------

“Guys..?” April looked around the lair, it seemed awfully empty. She had walked here after school to get some answers, their call had been to say the least a bit odd and short. But perhaps calling would have been a better choice, as they seemed to be out somewhere. She was about to call when she got a text message.

“Hm?” She pushed at the pop-up text on her T-phone and checked. “Oh, it’s from Mikey... I wonder what-” She read the message.

“What? Donnie is missing?” That seemed odd… Then she heard something, it sounded like…

“A cat..?”

April looked up in surprise as a cat came running towards her, seemingly greeting her happily, and maybe a bit desperately as well.

“Eh? What?” She stepped backwards in surprise as the cat jumped, it took her completely off guard and she partly caught it in her arms as it nearly jumped right into her.

“Uhm.. Hello to you too?” She adjusted the cat in her arms a bit to hold him more properly.

Donnie rushed to greet April, he moved to hug her in his excitement, but it turned into a jump as he in his haste nearly forgot his current height. He realised his odd action too late and was already unable to stop himself, landing right into April.

“I’m so sorry! I– I didn’t mean to jump like that..!” He stuttered in a panic. Quite embarrassed by his miscalculations.

The cat suddenly seemed upset or at least slightly stunned as if it hadn’t really caught up with what had just happened. She looked around, perhaps it had been scared of something and rushed up to her? But fear didn’t seem like the right description for how the feline was acting… 

“Well aren’t you an odd little kitty~?” She scratched him on the head and petted the cat to calm it down. It seemed to have taken a bath, since it wasn’t really dry and it had dropped a towel on the floor, must have been on it. Perhaps that was the cause?

“Have you seen the others around~?” She talked soothingly to it as she looked around.

Donnie looked up at April, she was talking to him like he was a baby… in a ridiculous voice… He wasn’t sure how he should feel about that. He felt a bit awkward, to be honest. He was actually in April’s arms, he both liked it and felt really… weird about it. With the way she was treating him, awkward was probably the best description, until she scratched his head.

“Oh, that feels really good.” He said in surprise, more to himself than anything, as the others clearly didn’t understand him. Donnie could feel himself melt in her arms and it all just seemed so cosy and nice all of a sudden, he just wanted to forget everything and relax. He felt something vibrating deep in his chest as he breathed, it felt a bit odd and it took him a moment to realise what it was.

“Aww you’re purring~ Aren’t you a cuddly little kitty~?” April hugged him and listened. Now he kinda felt a bit embarrassed as well, he wasn’t quite sure why but he couldn’t stop it. At least his brothers didn’t see him like this, he’d never live it down…

April hugged the cat, it seemed like the sweet and cuddly type. She started to walk around to see if anyone was still here. A moment later Splinter appeared.

“Oh no, this is going to be humiliating...” The turtle in purple realised Splinter was probably going to..

“Ah, I see you have already found Donatello.” He said. April blinked in confusion and looked at him, not understanding the rat’s statement at all.

“.. What?”

Yupp, there it was. He’d love to see Splinter try explain this one, but he’d rather be able to do it himself, if he could.

\-----------------------------------------------------

“Okay guys! You need to stop RIGHT now!” Mikey put his foot down and looked a tad angry, glaring at his brothers.

“Our bro is missing, and when someone is missing, you don’t argue! You look for them!” He pointed at them, they stared back, slightly surprised by Mikey’s mood swing.

“So you guys better get it together! Or I’m eating your pizzas!” He glared them both down, letting his threat hang in the air. And although his threat wasn’t exactly of the serious kind, his brothers had gotten the message and realised their mistake.

“I... …” *Raph grumbled a little. Not quite wanting to look straight at Leo, he crossed his arms and looked away.

“I’m sorry… I guess...” He mumbled, almost inaudible. “I’m just a bit... worried, is all...”

“I’m sorry?” Leo smiled slightly at his brother’s confession.

“You heard me!”

“Alright, alright... I’m… sorry too... truce?” Mikey looked happily at his brothers, finally they were getting somewhere!

“Now how about we go look the Kraang up? They always do funky stuff!” Mikey suggested. His elder brothers both looked at him in silence. Somehow Mikey being the most useful one and making the best suggestions right now surprised them, despite it occasionally happening from time to time, in-between his distractions.

“That’s… not a bad suggestion.” Leo finally managed to say.


	8. catfight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> April tries to figure things out and Yoda is annoying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Usually putting these up around Sundays but as I am doing some traveling over the weekend I figured I'd put it up today instead! This one is a lot longer than I usually make them, as I'm getting more used to.. well.. actually write. Practice makes perfect, right? Well, a lot of practice.

“It is not much I can tell you, as I do not know much myself, but perhaps we should call Leo and the others, as they are out looking for him.” Splinter suggested to April. It was after all better to not use the emergency phone.

“Are... are you sure?” She looked a bit sceptical at the cat in her arms, well. If Donnie WAS a cat, she’d bet he would be a cuddly one with people he knew... and talkative. But... it just seemed... so odd. It was hard to grasp how it could have happened.

“.. Alright, I’ll call and say we found him, but it’s best to leave any further explanations until they get back...” _Or they won’t believe me…_ She thought to herself and whipped out her phone and dialled Leo’s number. She still had a lot of questions, but decided to do this part first.

Donnie was complacent in her arms, listening to the conversations. It seemed they were going to solve a few of his problems for him, this however didn’t leave out his other concerns… First he would have to convince them to let him in the lab, if he couldn’t explain it in words, he could probably show them what happened.

 

\-----------------------------------------------------------

 

They were off again, towards the nearest Kraang facility they knew about, Donnie always kept that kind of information with him, not having him here to ask made things slightly more difficult.

But luckily they had raided that place a few times, so they knew exactly where and how to get there.

Leo paused after a jump across an alley when his T-phone went off for the second time.

“I almost forgot!” He scrambled to get the phone, this time he would get it, it could be Donnie for all he knew. But it was April. He couldn’t help but feel slightly disappointed as he answered.

“Oh hey April…” His brothers seemed to share his sentiment as they heard him answer.

“We don’t really have time for-“ He was swiftly cut off by her.

“Well you better, we found Donnie, so please come back to the lair.”

Leo paused at that. “You what? Where??” April’s diffuse explanations seemed weird, but he wasn’t going to question her about her statement.

“Alright, we’ll be right there.” He hung up.

“This better be good cause-“

“They found Donnie!” Leo quickly interrupted Raph before he could get started.

“Well that’s what April said, but she was a bit weird about it, and she wouldn’t let be talk to him…”

“Well what are we waiting for? Let’s head back yo!” Mikey cheered, glad this somehow did not turn out to be some sort of disaster. He had probably just been out for a walk or something and forgot the time… and turned his T-phone off, and now he had dropped back in the lair again.

“… I was just about to say that…” Leo commented as they turned and headed back to the lair.

 

\-----------------------------------------------------------

 

April hung up once she was done talking to Leo. Donnie felt relieved and a bit queasy at the same time.

“They will laugh at me…” He complained. Especially since his accident was totally self-inflicted. An unusually clumsy move on his part.

“So how did this happen?” April immediately started to ask Splinter her questions.

“I do not know.” He simply answered. “I found him like this in the dojo.”

“But then how do you know it’s Donnie?” She looked sceptical.

“He told me so.” He answered calmly.

“You understand him?”

“No.” He smiled a little at her confusion. “I do not speak cat, however, I understand actions, and this cat is acting too similar to my son to not be him. I simply recognise him.”

Donnie felt relieved, at least Splinter was on his side, he also couldn’t help but feel a bit warm and good about the fact that his father still saw him as him, even in the form of a cat. It was soothing.

“He is also terribly bad at acting like a cat.” He said as a pointer to his clumsiness and… less than graceful movement that would normally be associated with a cat. Donnie felt a tad embarrassed by that. Despite being a ninja he did not handle his new body all that well.

“Okay… it’s not that I don’t want to believe you, but… I think I am going to need to get some more evidence. But let’s say it’s Donnie for now.” April seemed to decide on that, as if on cue the cat immediately wanted to get down.

“Well I can get you evidence, my lab!” He squirmed a little until April let him jump down, then he quickly ran over to the doors to his lab and called for her.

“Open please! Or... I might as well say anything really…” He played with the idea of saying something different, since he could just call whatever without her understanding. But… he still didn’t dare to, and left it at that for now.

She saw how the cat ran for the lab doors, this was starting to creepily seem like the truth? She didn’t want it to, but she couldn’t deny that the cat was… familiar in some way, probably the eyes.

She calmly followed and opened the lab doors, looking inside, it was awfully quite, only the low hum of a machine going in a corner. Things where spread around and it seemed like some stuff had fallen of his desk, things were a mess.

April looked down at the cat, or “Donnie” as Splinter believed, although she had started to believe it too, ever so slightly, went up on two and leaned on her legs with his front paws. He looked up at her with some kind of expression, but she couldn’t read a cat’s expressions like a human face or… a mutant turtle face.

“What is it..?” She bent down to pick him up, wondering if that’s what he wanted, but stopped when he shied away from her. She looked puzzled, and a tad confused.

Donnie sighted.

“No, not ‘pick me up’, be careful.” The last thing he wanted was for her to accidentally step in the puddle of mutagen, or something sharp. As much as he wanted to be understood, he didn’t want it THAT much. Normally April wasn’t affected, but he had mixed and experimented with the mutagen, he was unsure if that somehow could change things for April. Better safe than sorry.

“Now, it’s just behind the desk.” He said, giving her a look and walking around it wider than necessary, hoping she would follow.

As he did, he could see his gear in a pile coming into view, as if he had vanished up in thin air with the gear left behind, which wasn’t that far from the truth. Beside the pile was a blotch of mutagen, on the floor and on the edge of the chair. He sat there, waiting for April to make the same discovery.

Splinter had slowly followed them to the lab and now stood just behind the others, stroking his beard and looking down behind the desk thoughtfully.

April stared at the place of accident and then at Donnie.

“It really IS you…” She seemed a bit chocked to finally have the evidence, making this all too real and plausible. She hunched down and got her arm out to get his gear, but thought better of it. If his brothers where to be convinced, this was better left as it was.

“Okay… We… we can fix this… Don’t you worry, alright..?” She tried to smile a little at him and patted him reassuringly on the head, not really sure if she would actually be able to stay true to that. But she was firm in believing they would, somehow, do it. Though she didn’t know how at the moment.

“I hope so too…” He dully noted his phone had several missed calls from his brothers, he had it on vibrate so they wouldn’t have heard it was in the lab…

“Hm. Yes, indeed we will do everything we can. Now, I will be going back and await your brothers arrival, we have much to discuss.” Splinter said and walked out again.

 

\-------------------------------------------------------

 

He sat in the couch beside April, waiting for his brothers to get back. He glanced at her, suddenly feeling nervous. After April opened the lab doors he couldn’t get the idea out of his head. He wanted to try but… did he dare to?

“Uh… April…” He glanced at her, she seemed to listen and responded with petting his head. Almost as if she had forgotten he only looked like a cat…

“I mean.. uhm.. what I mean to say is.. I... I.. L... I L... …“ He just couldn’t get it out! Despite the fact he knew she wouldn’t get it. His tongue felt like it twisted in a knot. 

April turned to him with a worried look.

“… Oh my gosh! Are... are you going to puke..?? Is it a hairball?!” She had totally misinterpreted his hesitant attempts at saying something.

“No! I need to actually swallow hair for that!” He exclaimed. Now he felt pathetic, despite the fact that he could yell it out as much as he wanted without her or any other of them understanding he still couldn’t bring himself to say it.

He knew she wouldn’t understand, and he had considered it a good idea to… maybe practice, in case he later on found an opportunity to actually say it. And if he did, it would be a shame if he didn’t dare to say it when given the chance. But now he couldn’t even do it when she didn’t understand him, would he ever in his life dare to if he couldn’t even do it like this?

He sighted a little as April fussed and looked him over, he would have loved the attention, but right now it just made him feel more helpless and misunderstood.

“I.. I’m fine.. really..” He said as April patted him on the back just in case he had something stuck that need to... come up.

When Donnie seemed to be okay she relaxed a bit, false alarm, apparently. She looked a bit at him in thought, then at Yoda who had decided to make herself comfortable at the other end of the couch.

“Do you understand each other..? Like... if you meow at each other?” Donnie looked up at April, a bit surprised by the question, although he should have expected it. He shook his head.

“No, cats don’t use a lot of verbal communications… it is actually more adjusted for their owners when they ‘talk’. So she doesn’t actually say sentences, just… feelings or general expressions. I think. Like how she hates me and doesn’t want me in the kitchen by hissing at me every time I try to go there.”

“Wow okay, wait, wait.” April said when Donatello went of talking quite a bit.

“I get the head shaking, but the rest I don’t get at all. Though I suspect you just tried to explain why.” He liked doing that so it was a fair guess, she wasn’t wrong. He nodded. He missed being able to do more than say yes or no.

“Well…” She looked around, trying to figure something out.

“Ah! I got it! Wait here, I’ll be right back!” She got up and walked off to his lab. Donnie sat where he was and waited curiously for her to come back.

“I wonder what she has in mind… and you stay away!” He hissed a little at Yoda when she seemed to see April’s disappearance as an opportunity to chase him away again. This time she seemed to hesitate a little, now that he stood his ground. Trying to avoid Yoda and retreating seemed to just make it all worse, so he had switched tactics and tried to stand up to her instead.

“I’m not moving.” He said firmly, although he was fairly certain that if she did attack he wasn’t quite ready to try engage in an actual fight with her just yet, if it had to come to that. He hoped seeming a bit threatening would be enough to keep her at bay.

“Found it!” he heard April yell from his lab, looking in her direction, wondering what it is she found. A loud hiss went off beside him.

 

\------------------------------------------

 

Leo, Raph and Mikey silently but quickly moved along the rooftops, moving quickly to get back to the lair, there was something April said needed some explanations, but she had refused to take it over the phone. Leo wondered what it could be, but the best way to find out was simply getting home, he just hoped Donnie was okay. If April wouldn’t even allow them to talk to him… what could have caused that?

“Maybe he’s just grumpy and didn’t want to talk?” Mikey suggested, as if reading Leo’s mind.

“Wha..? .. I dunno Mikey… something seemed off, as if there was a problem she had to show us and couldn’t explain over the phone… I just got a feeling something is off.”

“Well we better move then.” Raph said shortly and jumped down the fire escape to land by the manhole cover, getting down where they had parked the Shellraiser. They quickly drove back to the lair.

As they opened the doors and stepped out to the lair, they could hear a strange sound… it sounded awful, like…

“Yoda!” Mikey shouted as the noise sounded an awful lot like a catfight.

 

\-------------------------------------------------

 

When April came back to the couch, she was very surprised to find both Donnie and Mikey’s cat Yoda hissing at each other. Both of them looked like stiff brushes… She would have giggled if the situation didn’t seem a bit too… aggressive.

“Guys?? What are you doing?!”

Donnie was in the middle of trying to make Yoda back off, he didn’t want her to bother him as soon as they were left alone. Then April walked in and he got caught off guard, this wasn’t exactly how he wanted to be seen, hissing trying to chase off a cat.

“April! I can explain but…” He retreated a bit as Yoda took the opportunity to lash out at him when he was distracted, she didn’t seem to have noticed April yet.

“Oh will you just… Go away!” He jabbed in the air at her, trying to threaten her in a way she would understand, she seemed a bit taken aback by his sudden attitude, but she wasn’t yielding that easily.

He shouted out in surprise as she jumped him, and suddenly he was caught up in what he had tried to avoid, a full on cat fight, Yoda let out terrifying hisses and yells as she attacked, Donnie tried to dodge and push her away as they moved around all over the sofa in a scramble to not get clawed or tackled down.

Unlike her though he wasn’t using his claws, he didn’t want to hurt her, even if she tried to hurt him. After all she was just a normal, but angry, cat.

"Aah!" April quickly put down the turtle's laptop she had brought from the lab and tried to separate the cats.

“Stop it!” She surprised Yoda, and got herself a scratch on her hand.

“Ouch..! Donnie! Yoda! Quit it!”

“I’m trying! She is attacking ME!” He supposed it just looked like a big mess of a fight to her, but he wasn’t being all that offensive, not for real anyway. He got a bit angry though when Yoda hurt April, though it was by accident. He tried to simply tackle her down and hold her, so she wouldn’t be able to scratch, but it was easier said than done.

“YAME!” Splinter yelled when he walked in and saw the fight, the only one who reacted was Donnie though, and Yoda immediately jumped him.

“Gyah!” He froze and saw Yoda coming at him.

April acted quickly and as Donnie froze she was able to scoop him up and out of harm’s way. She stared at Yoda and held Donnie close.

“Wow, what did you do to get her so mad at you?”

"Exist."

 

\--------------------------------------------------------

 

When they came into the lair Mikey immediately went to the source of the sounds, when Mikey arrived he found April standing by the couch holding an upset ‘not scribbles’ and Yoda sitting in the couch hissing.

“Ah! What happened?? Are they okay??”

Leo and Raph looked at each other and then at Mikey who rushed forward to check on his cats.  


They both looked around after the turtle in purple, but he was nowhere to be seen, and it was odd he wasn’t complaining over the noise.   
The thought that maybe Donnie was somehow hurt immediately crossed their minds and they hurried after to ask April what was going on.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm running out of titles, but here they kinda realise what's happened and.. stuff.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is really rushed and I'm not quite happy with it, it's also a week late, sorry about that! I had an Essay to write so it got a bit jumbled together.

“April what’s going on?!” All of them shouted at once. April sighted and massaged her ear a bit.

“Calm down guys, one at a time. Also, yes, I did find Donnie, he’s right here.” They all stared when she held up.. a cat.

“.. This suppose to be some kinda joke..??” Raph stared at the cat, Leo didn’t know what to say.

“Uhm April, it’s a cat.. did you name him Donnie or something..?” He wondered.

“No! I’m serious! Wait, I’ll show you.” She stomped off and towards the lab, the others seemed hesitant but decided to follow her. Mikey put Yoda back down on the couch in the mean time before catching up.

“Okay so what do you have that makes you think THAT is Donnie?” Leo asked in a sort of mocking and sceptical tone, he just couldn’t think of ANY reason why she would think that. Until she showed them the place of accident, his jaw dropped and he just stared.

“You’re kidding… But... how? Why? Why a CAT? And how do we fix this?! We don’t know anything about science! Mostly...” Leo started to sort of freak out a bit.

“Calm down man! We’ll fix it somehow, right April~?” Mikey looked hopefully at her.

“Uh yea, right. About that…” She smiled apologetic at them. “I still sorta gotta figure out how to talk to Donnie properly, then we might be able to-“

“Wait! Hold on! I thought you said he was the cat?”

“Well he is, but..” April looked down at Donnie and scratched him a bit on the head.

“But..? If he is a cat that’s not really helpful..” Leo raised an eyebrow at April.

“He’s still, you know... him. He doesn’t act like a cat.” 

_Oh no…_ Donnie thought to himself, they’ll never let him forget this…

“Wait you mean to say all this time he’s been running around looking like a cat and…” Mikey couldn’t stop his giggling then.  
“I’m sorry... I know I shouldn’t but… It’s just too funny! This explains all the odd things he did too! I though a cat not liking cat food was kinda weird! Soo sorry D! Wouldn’t have given it to you if I knew! Hahaha..” Raph started smiling a bit too, he had seemed to be a bit absent, looking at the pile of equipment left on the floor.

“You gave Donnie cat food?”

“Well yea, but I thought he was a cat, we all did! He didn’t eat it anyway…” Mikey shrugged a bit.

“Of course I wouldn’t eat it!” Donnie glared at Mikey. They all stared at him then, it was a bit uncomfortable.

“Does that mean if we touch that stuff we’ll become cats..? Oh... oh... OH! I got the best idea ever! We could be... The ninja cats! Or... The cat ninjas!” Mikey was a bit over excited at the idea.

"Mikey.." Both Leo and Raph groaned.

“Mikey, no.” Donnie glared at him. “Being a cat is rather useless. Just so you know.”

“Hmm…maybe not… it doesn’t sound as cool as ninja turtles…” Mikey said after some thinking, a bit disappointed his idea didn’t come out as good as it had seemed in his head.

“That’s not the main issue. I wanna be normal again…” He sighted and jumped down from April to walk out of the lab.

“He’s sooo fluffy and cuddly though~” *Mikey quickly dragged him in for a hug when he came running by.

“Ouf! Will you quit it, or does every single one of you have to hold me?!” 

“Really? Can I..?” Leo seemed a bit curious and carefully tested poking him in the side.

“Yea why not?! Everyone go for it...” Donnie fumed sarcastically.

“I think you’re bothering him...” April felt a bit sorry for the purple turtle.

“Ah, sorry Donnie… It’s easy to forget it’s really you...” Leo said quickly and stopped.

“He doesn’t mind a hug or two, right D~?” Mikey said and rubbed his cheek against his fur.

“Watch it or I’ll scratch you.” Mikey seemed to at least get his tone and stopped.

“Well, I guess we’ll just babysit him until we get things going again.” Raph stated and took him from Mikey. Donnie wasn’t sure he should thank the red turtle for the “rescue” or be annoyed by his choice of words.

“I don’t need any babysitting..!” He protested. Wondering why Raph of all people would say something like that.

“I’m perfectly capable of looking after him.” April offered.

“Maybe, but I’m sure we can handle it.”

“I could too while you guys help solv the problem.” She seemed slightly offended Raph seemed to think she wouldn’t be up for the task.

“Guys! I understand what you are saying you know! And I DON’T need ANYONE looking after me.” He fumed.

“Well…” He tried to come up with a good argument.

“I’ve more experience taking care of pets than you. Hmph.” Raph argued and walked off with that.

“Uh.. I’m pretty sure that doesn’t really apply here…” She sighted. It was a bit of an unusual move for Raph but… she doubted Donnie would let him do whatever he wanted anyway.

Donnie sighted as Raph walked out with him to the TV room again.

“Don’t worry we’ll get you back to normal…” Raph looked around him and when no one seemed to be watching gave donnie a pat on the head.

“…” He was a bit surprised Raph tried to be… nice. It was quite rare when he did that.

“Considering what Mikey’s been trying to give you, no wonder you haven’t eaten, I’ll get you something proper.” He said as he remembered Mikey’s complaint about Donnie not eating anything, well, before he knew it was actually Donnie.

“..Thanks..” 

“Hmm, your eyes really look like yours, I mean, not a cats but.. yours.. that is.” Raph said when he seemed to think of something to say. Then he grew quiet again as he seemed to think that was a dumb thing to say.

“Uh, okay.. well.. I guess?” Raph smiled a little as Donnie replied.

“I guess we gotta find a way to understand each other huh?” He walked into the kitchen and placed Donnie on the table, then went to look for something he could eat.

“Whatcha doin~?” Mikey poked his head in. Raph grunted in response.

“Aw are you getting food for Donnie~?” Mikey teased.

“Yea, got a problem with that? You failed horribly at it.” Raph taunted back, Mikey puffed his cheeks up and pouted.

“I didn’t know he wasn’t a cat though! So that doesn’t count!”

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------

“So you got ANY idea on how we’re going to deal with this?” Leo asked April, who seemed to know at least more than they did.

“Well, no. Not really, but we know what caused it, and I’m sure if we help Donnie we could fix it. We just got to find a way for him to tell us what to do.”

“Oh, so he understands what we say… but we don’t understand him..?”

“Pretty much yea.” Leo sighted, a bit relieved.

“Well that makes things slightly easier.”

April and Leo started discussing back and forth how to deal with it, Splinter joined in as he came walking by.

“I’ll… get some tea and check on the others.” Leo said after a while, slightly annoyed they seemed to take everything so easy.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Raph placed down a sandwich with some mixed stuff on it, Donnie was grateful it wasn’t anything weird on it. Ham, cheese, lettuce… all normal. He bit down on it and tried to chew, but he had no molars whatsoever.

“I’m gonna go see how Yoda’s doing~” Mikey said after looking at Donnie and Raph who seemed to handle that part just fine.

“!” Donatello had to bite on it and struggled to get the sandwich into tinier pieces, after managing to swallow it he huffed.

“This is hard!”

Raph seemed to notice that too, so he divided the sandwich into smaller pieces.

“There you go~”

“Oh… Uh… thanks Raph?” He tried to smile a bit, but it probably just looked weird. As he managed to get down the second piece easier, he noticed Raph was looking at him like he did when he feed Spike, that felt slightly unnerving and.. Uncomfortable.

“Uh… You don’t have to watch me you know… I’m not gonna choke on it.” He shifted and turned away slightly from him and ate a bit more, he was too hungry right now and just wanted... something to eat.

Raph quickly looked a lot more stern when Leo walked in.

“Everything alright? We were talking about what to do and you... kinda should be there too?” Leo asked.

“Everything’s fine! Don’t worry so much, I said I could handle it. It’s not rocket science.” Raph huffed.

“And why do we gotta be there? Pretty sure I’m not much help on that part, unless we gotta go beat somebody up to get something. Then I’m all for it!” he said with a grin.

Leo sighted. “No, but we’re talking about how to talk to Donnie in a convenient way, I’m sure you could help with that. Besides, at least Donnie should be there.”

“Yea, I should.” He said and jumped down, only to be picked up by Leo.

“I can walk on my own, thank you very much.” He said and tried to get down again.

“See? He doesn’t want to. Now just let him eat in peace instead.”

“You don’t know that, besides it’s not like he doesn’t understand.” Leo stated.

“Whatcha mean?” Raph seemed a bit confused now.

“He does get what we say. It’s the other way around that’s the issue. We’re trying to figure that part out. It’s not like he can write with paws.” Leo filled in when Raph seemed confused. Raph blushed slightly as apprehension hit him.

“Oh. Right.” 

“Didn’t you listen at all to what April said?” Leo raised an eyebrow.

“Some of it...” He mumbled.

Now it made more sense why Raph hadn’t really bothered with what he said before in the kitchen, or seemed to have it easier actually talking to him. He decided he’d not mention anything about it, though if Raph was embarrassed or somehow bothered he didn’t show it now. 

“Yea, yea, now that we have established that mistake, put be down and stop talking about me like I’m not here with you.” He managed to get down from Leo and quickly made his way out towards the others.


	10. Family meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Family meeting! And some other things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys! Sorry I haven't updated in a while, I had this around for a while just needed to look through it and do some more work on it. But I was just so busy with Essays, moving out of my current house and getting storage, find a new place and so on. But now I finally have some time over! I had hoped to make this the final chapter, but it's already twice as long as I had set out each chapter to be, so I think it will be 11 or 12 chapters.

The others had placed themselves by the TV and discussed how best to proceed with this... problem, when Donnie came out from the kitchen towards them. Yoda was sitting next to Mikey as they talked, he decided to place himself by April on the other side, as far away as possible.

“Alright! Let’s see…” April started once the other two turtles slowly joined them as well.

“First things first, Donnie needs a sign language.” She stated. “I got the idea off an ad… it had these hand sign lessons, and deaf people have been talking without the need for a voice for ages. You use them too during missions sooo.. I figured it was a good idea.” April said and smiled a little.

“Great but... if you haven’t noticed Donnie doesn’t exactly have hands.” Raph stated and crossed his arms.

“No but he has a tail, ears, paws and other things we can make use of, we just gotta adjust it to suit him, we’ve already established yes and no. It’s not that hard if we keep it simple.” April said optimistically.

“It’s a great idea!” Donnie said, nodding, Splinter seemed to side with April’s idea as well.

“Thought that will be difficult if I have to ask you to add chemicals in certain amounts… it’s not going to work for that…” He said, mostly to himself and sighted a little. It would be good for getting simple things across though. Perhaps he could work around it somehow... After all he could point at things… maybe get April to draw up a chart with different amounts he could point at…

“Yea maybe that could work… but… I still have to somehow convey that to you guys…”

“Well Donnie seems thrilled, so let’s get this going.” 

He decided to make himself comfortable and wait for the others to try come up with sign ideas in the beginning. As it was tricky to suggest them himself.

\-------------------------------------------

“Ooh how about a backflip??” Mikey suggested.

“That’s just impractical, would YOU wanna do a backflip just to tell someone you’re hungry?” Leo looked at Mikey sceptically.

“Totally! It would be so rad.” Mikey exclaimed eagerly, earning himself a dunk in the head from Raph.

Donnie sighted.

“Alright guys, let’s keep this simple, how about a paw on the knee? He can reach easily and it’s not complicated.” April suggested as she lifted Donnie up in her lap.

Donnie was glad April and Splinter were there, their suggestions made a lot more sense than most of Mikey’s did. He was a bit caught off guard when April put him in her lap and felt awkward about it as he sat there, nodding when April asked him if that one was alright.

April took the pencil and scribbled it down on the list.

Then he noticed Yoda opposite seemed annoyed and flicked her tail, only to climb up in Mikey’s lap, purring when she got petted. She almost looked smug.

“Is that a challenge?” Donnie glared a little at her, who only seemed to grow cuddlier with Mikey as he looked at her. Was she seriously challenging him to an attention contest..?

“I am not stooping to your level, you little fluffy devil.” He said and looked away. Yoda seemed to have made him her involuntary rival, she seemed to like Mikey the most and got angry if he got close, though she seemed to know she wasn’t allowed to attack him. It was like she had declared that all this was hers, and he was just an unwanted guest, the sooner he left the better.

Though she hadn’t been able to make that happen, and he was not going to let himself get chased out of his own home by a cat.

“Awe she hasn’t been this cuddly in a while, are you upset that we’re talking without you~?” Mikey talked with Yoda in a sweet voice.

“Mikey, focus, please.” Leo said and sighted a little.

They had debated for hours, it took a lot to try get his ideas across, even when Donnie started to get some basic words he could make use of, they hadn’t exactly made him a whole language, and they had to start looking at the paper to see what it meant as the list grew longer. 

“Okay so we got some basics established, but how will we do if he needs to tell us how to make the cure? We need some sort of system.” Leo pointed out. Finally! Donnie looked at Leo and was happy someone started to bring it up, he had a lot of testing to do and desperately needed a lab assistant for it.

“Hmm.. How about purrs for numbers..?” Mikey suggested. “For all that sciency stuff..!”

“No, Mikey. I can’t do it just like that. Though I DO need numbers…” Donnie shook his head. “I could tap my paw on my other arm for numbers.” He suggested instead, showing his suggestion. As they had already established a few words by him making use of whatever surface was available and tapping almost in Morse code. As much as that would be helpful to make use of in full, his brothers struggled with remembering what it meant or picking up how many taps he did if they grew lengthy.

“This? You got it?” He looked up at April who seemed to understand and nodded.

“Alright, tap, on arm... numbers..?” She talked out loud as she wrote. “Anything else?” 

“... Well... A lot.” He sighted, he didn’t even have words for colours, or any good descriptions of the chemicals, and not all of them even had colours… or words for describing what kind of amount, there is a big difference in 4 centilitres and 4 litres… 

“I think I need a break.” He concluded. “We don’t have a word for resting… Uh…” He raised his paw up to make a point he had another word he needed, then curled up to pretend to sleep.

Every time Donnie had a word he wanted it was always a struggle to get it across, it was a bit like playing charades, which Mikey enjoyed immensely. Though Donnie preferred to have short signs for stuff where he could. Crude as it was.

“Oh oh me! Me! I got this one! Sleeping!”

“Mikey it’s not a contest.” Leo pointed out, he wanted to keep it at least somewhat serious, so they could get things going. It felt like he had a lot to worry about right now and getting this done felt like a good first step to making things right and normal again, as normal as it ever got around here that is.

Mikey was a bit of the opposite, he’d rather cheer up and make the situation as enjoyable and fun as possible rather than moping around about it. Though he had a point, people were better of cheerful than running around worrying about what to do.

“Sleep will do, even if rest would be more accurate...” He said and nodded slightly. 

“Alright maybe paws to the cheek?” Raph suggested, he mostly sat quietly and listened, but occasionally he would suggest something here and there. Donnie nodded and tried out the motion.

“Gotta be on the side, I can’t twist it more than this.” He looked on as April added it to the list.

“We seriously need to copy this up for everyone, I don’t think we’ll remember it all, at least not in the beginning.”

“And while you do that I’d like some rest.” He made use of his new signs as much as possible when he talked, which by the end of it did look rather odd, at least for a cat.

“-I sleep. You, that-” Was basically what he said in signs and pointed at the paper. “I’m gonna go nuts if I have to talk like this long enough for you guys to remember it without the cheating list.”

“Aww you look so cute when you do that~” Mikey said and pressed Donnie’s muffles with his fingers on each side.

“Mikey! I have whiskers! They are sensitive so would you stop that…” He complained and drew his ears back to show he didn’t like it. So he ended up being petted on the head instead, as Mikey didn’t seem to be able to keep his hands off his fur.

They all ended up agreeing on taking a break and make some much needed food, Splinter calmly sat with his tea as Mikey and Leo cooked in the kitchen.

“…” Leo watched as Mikey feed Yoda the scraps as she begged for food while stroking herself along Mikey’s legs.

“Should you really giver her all that..? I think she’s getting fat.” He pointed out.

“.. Nah, she looks fine, she’s just pudgy.” Mikey brushed it off and handed her a piece of bacon, which she happily consumed.  
Donnie and Raph were slacking off on the sofa while April worked on a list for everyone to have.

“Alright there... I think I’m done!” She seemed pleased with herself and looked them over.

“I know it’s not a lot but it will help a bit.” Donnie opened an eye as April talked to him and purred a little in response. He was grateful for the help, and the cat side of him didn’t seem to be able to hide when he felt really pleased with something either.

“I’ll take it you’re happy with that.” She said cheerfully as she started to hand them out.

“Guys food is ready..!” They heard Mikey cheer from the kitchen.

\-------------------------------------------

They had spent most of the last days discussing back and forth, right now they were on a break, as they all needed a leg stretcher and some rest once in a while after all.

Donatello was contently resting on his father’s lap in the sofa, he was watching a soap opera show that somehow seemed to amuse him, how Donnie really couldn’t understand, there was too much drama for his taste. Raph seemed to agree when the guy lied about why he was coming home so late and groaned.

“Just say it already! You’re only making things worse..!” He exclaimed at the TV, far more into it than Donnie first thought. Well, they could watch it if they wanted to, his new hobby was apparently to sleep in warm, cosy places…

April and Mikey was playing a game of cards, she had come over again to help out, he was glad they decided she was going to be his lab assistant, he wasn’t sure his brothers would be careful enough with the mutagen, and they didn’t want more accidental cats. April should be immune to it, but they still took precautions.

“Aw, you can sleep in my lap with Yoda, you guys need to get along better~” Mikey said and suddenly snatched Donnie from Splinters lap. He had noticed Donnie didn’t seem to like Yoda, he either glared at her or ignored her, Mikey wanted them to be friends, not enemies.

“See, now you can sit here and be friends instead!”

“No, I don’t wanna be friends with that lunatic.” He grumbled as Mikey placed him down beside Yoda while pushing her a bit to the side to make space. The first thing she did was swat her paw right in Don’s face to push him away. He leaned away from her.

“See? She’s the problem, not me.” He tried his best to sign.

“Sure you wanna do that? They don’t seem to get along all that well.” Raph pointed out as Don seemed quite unhappy with the arrangement, though who would be happy if someone hit a paw in their face. While Yoda seemed to be more open about her aggression towards him if she was pushed.

“She might be uncomfortable with another cat so close to her..?” April suddenly suggested, Donnie looked at her.

“That’s... I’ve tried my best to make it very clear I have no intention of fighting with her! And I ignore her as much as possible, but she still sometimes walk up to me and start the fighting. And I’m not gonna try explain all that in signs.”

“Perhaps it would be best to not force them, at least.” April suggested as Yoda seemed determined to get Donnie off of Mikey while the former turtle made what sounded like complaints.

“Yea but.. I want them to get along…” Mikey sighted and let go of them.

"That is something they have to resolve on their own, I'm afraid you forcing them together might just make things worse." Splinter pointed out, before he got back to watching the show.

“I’ll leave, I’ll leave! Gimme a break!” Donnie backed off as soon as he could and walked over to sit next to Raph instead.

“Well Donnie isn’t exactly a cat, but I could try find a book on how to make cats get along if you want to?” She suggested to Mikey, if anything just to cheer him up a bit.

“That would be great! Thanks April!” Mikey smiled wide. Donnie just sighted in his misery, the last thing he wanted was Mikey’s ‘let’s all be friends program’ with Yoda.

“Oh, if you’re gonna go look for a book… Perhaps you can go buy some stuff for us?” Leo suddenly popped in from the kitchen.

“We’re out of bread... and some other things... Sorry for bothering you but...”

“Oh no that’s alright! I can fix that.” April said quickly, a walk and some fresh... fresher, air would do well.

“Oh great! Can you buy some cat food? ...For Yoda obviously, not Donnie.” Mikey quickly added.

“Heh, got it. I’ll just do it now before they close then!” She got up.

Donnie listened to the others while Raph absentmindedly petted him where he sat and watched the TV. Then he got an idea and shot up, making Raph jump slightly.

“April! Can I come?!” He looked at her with intent and tried to make her understand he was begging her to take him with her. Sure he wasn’t human, but no one would react to a cat walking around, so he could, now that he wasn’t a wandering mutant turtle, right?

“Do you want something..?” She looked at Donnie who suddenly seemed very excited, but was puzzled when he shook his head.

“Okay how about this... –I go, you, out-“ He tried his best to fill in the gaps with charades and looked at her, hoping she would understand.

“OH. You wanna come with me..? Well... I dunno… I suppose.. The store doesn’t really allow pets though… but maybe you could wait outside… It might be too risky though.” She was a bit hesitant, leaving Donnie by the entrance wasn’t sitting well with her, and what if some mean person came along? It wasn’t that uncommon to find stray animals people had beaten up or been mean to…

Donnie quickly signed for April to wait, she watched as he rushed off into his lab.

Moments later he came back dragging a duffel bag and placed it at her feet, then he jumped into it, only his head popping back up from the bag.

“Ok. I’m ready.”

April couldn’t help but chuckle a little at the sight.

“Alright you win, but keep yourself hidden in the store, and no walking away on your own, okay?” She picked the bag up.

“Okay guys, we’ll be back in an hour or two!”

"Be careful!" Splinter called after them, not being able to help but feel slightly worried.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't resist the duffel, the image was too funny.


	11. Store shopping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> April and Donnie goes to the store!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another one! I keep saying it's the last chapter, but it's not. So I'll stop saying that until I really know how much more I need to write to get to where I want it to go! I just keep getting these little small things I wanna add or somehow find funny. Or at least an amusing image. Well either way I hope you like it. As always if there is anything feeling off, missing or such, I'd appreciate the feedback!

Donnie was thrilled, he was finally going to a proper store! Like a normal person! Okay, maybe that wasn’t entirely accurate, but at least he could go into the store, in daytime, hidden in a duffel bag…

Okay so it had its drawbacks, but at least he was there! And worst thing that could happen was being thrown out. That felt mild compared to what could happen if he walked in as a mutant turtle.

He carefully poked out of the bag while April looked through the cereal section, no one was in that aisle so he poked his head out further to look around. It was a lot nicer than just sitting in the lair and writing a list of things April would get for them. Now he could look and pick out stuff himself. The joys of the little things.

“Oh this is so different~ I mean I still have to hide in here.. but still.” He looked around, there was so much stuff everywhere! 

“Donnie Schhh!” April said as a warning when he started making cat sounds she presumed was him talking, while she picked up a package.

“We’ll be thrown out if they find you… be still and quiet, okay? I’m gonna go around to get some popcorn.” She walked away and he ducked back a bit more into the bag to show that he got it, making an awkward thumbs up as well as he could manage with paws.

“….” It was still hard to keep still when he wanted to look around, but he was a ninja, he could do it.

Well, right now a very clumsy ninja. His sensei had actually started to drag him into practice again, he thought he had a pretty good excuse to skip training, but Splinter wanted him to get used to his new body.

So that meant training, a lot of training, which was a bummer cause while his brothers did their usual training and went on patrol, he had to train in walking, running, jumping, balancing and other less fun things. He couldn’t really pull any punches or use weapons either, so he had to practice using his claws instead, and Splinter had gone through with him repeatedly on scenarios where he might need to defend himself and how to make the best use of what he got. Bottom line; it sucked.

What he wasn’t prepared for though at all was the sudden scream behind him and the onslaught of an excited toddler as she yanked him out of the bag.

“Look mommy! A kitty! A kitty!” He gasped as she took an uncomfortable hold of him with his arms splaying upwards, he was practically hanging from her arms. He kicked with his legs and struggled to get free.

“.. Apriiiil..!” He hissed. He didn’t want to be too loud, or they would get in trouble, although he already was.

“Mommy! Look what I found!” She said excitedly and jumped from one foot to the other as she walked clumsily along the aisle. Donnie felt like a ragdoll.

“Not now honey, put that back and don’t touch anything.” Her mother replied, and to Donnie’s relief she didn’t really seem to look or listen, busy with the things she needed to get done.

“But Mommy..”

“I said not now, I am tired and if you can’t behave you will have to wait in the car.”

The toddler sighted and let the cat go, then she started to drag her mom in the leg and wanted to buy chocolate instead.

Donnie quickly hid behind the chart so the mom wouldn’t notice him, then he looked back at the duffle bag on the floor at the other end. He had to get back or April would probably not be too happy. But they were between him and the bag… As the kid and mother walked along the aisle he decided to try sneak back along the aisle beside this one.

“…” He looked around the corner and saw that there was people walking around, practically everywhere, the cashiers were that way.

“Okay, maybe the one on the right instead…” He quickly sneaked to the other corner and glanced around it, it was almost empty, except for April, probably choosing popcorn.

“…” He quickly sneaked along the shelf towards her, then made a quick dash to the shelf on the other side, and tried to casually walk past her.

“Donnie I told you to stay in the bag.” April said without even turning. Donnie froze on the spot, completely busted. Sometimes he wished she wasn’t a ninja in training, or that she didn't have some sort of near psychic powers.

“It wasn’t my fault..” He whispered. April sighted.

“You know I don’t-“ She quickly darted forward, grabbed him and shoved him under her hoodie she was wearing.

“You alright ma’am?” A staff member asked her as she saw April bending over slightly.

“.. Just fine!” April said and straightened up.

“Just… slightly tired is all!” April tried to wave the person off, but she seemed quite concerned.

“You sure I don’t need to call an ambulance..?”

“Ambu-? No! No! I am absolutely sure!”

Donnie was listening, puzzled to the conversation, he was very uncomfortable with suddenly being stuffed into the hoodie. He was in a tight ball and felt he really needed to change his position, but when he tried to move April gave him a warning pinch, so he kept still.

“How many months are you in? If you don’t mind me asking.” He heard the person ask, and he nearly choked when he heard April’s answer. He realised how it must look on the outside and why April didn’t want him to move.

“Oh uhm.. 7.” April said awkwardly and smiled. Not being able to come up with a better excuse she simply decided to go with what seemed the most believable. She froze when she heard Casey’s voice few aisle’s down. Right at the most inconvenient of times…

“Red? That you?” He called. She pretended not to hear him.

“I.. reeeaally must be going now, so if you don’t mind..” She said hurriedly, grabbed her popcorn and walked as fast as she dared back to the duffel. To her dismay the unknowing worker wanted to be extra helpful, now of all times.

"Red?" She heard, still quite far away, they might just manage to avoid him.

“You stay very still now and we might get through this, okay?” She whispered as she walked. Donnie nodded, he didn’t want to get discovered like this anyway.

April felt slightly uncomfortable as she was now given quite different looks as she walked with her stuff to the cashier, keeping one hand to hold Donnie in place. Not like she could just dump him back in the duffel and go, ‘oh, guess I lied. I wasn’t pregnant’, now that she already got enough attention. The staff member even offered her to help with the bag.

She decided to just accept it and go with the flow. Casey wasn’t far away either, and she definitely didn’t want him to catch up and realise it was actually her.

“Thanks…” She smiled politely and waved the person off as she walked out of the store, as soon as she rounded the corner she opened her hoodie and Don fell out.

“Oh my gosh I am never doing that again..! I’m just glad Casey didn’t catch up with us!” She exclaimed.

“I am so sorry about that!” he said and signed an apology. Feeling awkward about having just pretended to be… well... yeah.

“Let’s not mention this to anyone.” April said, and he nodded.

“And I’m never shopping in this store again, not for the next few months.” She stated and put all of their groceries in the duffel. She hoisted it over her shoulder and started walking, Donatello following her close behind.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright! Sort of last chapter! I'm splitting this one up making it 13, this was more of a.. last things before it all gets to the finish. I wanted to write about some more ideas but I think this is fine. I will summarise a few things in the last chapter of events briefly mentioned among other things. Well.. it was a fun practice! Last chapter should be up soon as well!

April and Donnie had taken to spending a lot of the time in the lab whenever she was free to come over and help out, Mikey sometimes helped out as well with the less risky stuff.

They sat in the lab when Mikey came by wondering if April could help get some things so they could build a cat tree, apparently that could help with aggressive cats, or so he had read from the cat book she found when they had been at the store.

When they got back everyone had wondered how it went, they simply decided to go with ‘just fine’, and leave it at that. No need for details.

“Yea sure, I’ll see what I can find.” April said and then returned to help Don run some more tests. They had managed quite alright so far, using the signs and some charades to try get the communication going.

Donnie was happy to be back in his lab, though maybe not quite in the most ideal situation. Besides the need for a cure, it was a great excuse to avoid Mikey’s tries at making him and Yoda “best friends”. It just wasn’t happening and the youngest turtle didn’t quite want to accept that.

\-----------------------------------

“Give it a rest will ya?” Raph said as Mikey walked by, pouting slightly.

“But what if Donnie… well... ya know... have to spend a lot more time as a cat? He should at least have a friend who’s the same. You know? And Yoda could use a friend for when we go on patrol, it would be perfect!” He whined.

“Okay, look. I get that ya want to make the situation as good as possible for everyone. But sometimes people just don’t get along. And you gotta accept that.” He patted Mikey on the back.

“I guess you’re right…” He sighted. “I’m not gonna force them, but I’m still gonna at least try make it better.” He said with a new determination. Raph sighted a little.

“Alright, but don’t get disappointed if it doesn’t work out, alright?” He said, trying to make an effort in cheering Mikey up. He had been quite down about the whole thing once he realised how much Yoda really disliked Donnie behind his back. She had grown even more aggressive towards him lately as well. It was actually starting to become a bit of a problem.

“I’m sure we’ll find a solution, she might just be cranky cause she doesn’t like other cats, like April said.” Raph suggested, damn he wasn’t good at this stuff, but at least he tried.

“Alright... I guess I could use a break, wanna help build a cat tree?” Mikey suggested, a bit more cheerful, to Raph’s relief.

\-----------------------------------  
“Hello! Anyone in?!” Casey yelled as he entered the lair.

“Hey what’s up case?” Raph yelled back, he hadn’t been around a lot lately and the visit was a nice surprise.

“Not much, had a lot with the team going, so didn’t really have time for a visit, is red here?”

“Alright, guess that’s fair enough. We’ve just been doing the usual... mostly. She’s at the back, in Don’s lab I think.” He pointed with his thumb.

“Mostly? Oh speaking of red, I think I saw her doppelganger at the store the other day! She was crazy look-a-like. I thought it was her until I realised she was preggo, so deffo not her!” He laughed. Raph just raised an eye ridge.

“Okay, well yea, but we’re doin’ fine. We got some snacks if ya wanna join buildin’ this thing? Mikey took a break and I could use a hand.”

“Sweet!” He jumped over and plopped himself down beside his friend and grabbed some snacks.

“Watcha’ building?”

\---------------------------------------------------

“Donnie?” *April looked a bit worried as he started to sound weird, like he was choking.

“What the..” He felt quite sick, like something just.. He hulked and out came a hairball. He stared at it.

“Oh god no, I think I’m gonna be sick…” He couldn’t look at it and rushed out to get some water. April stared at the hairball in slight disgust. How could he cough up hairballs since he wasn’t… unless he actually was and just didn’t act more like a cat in front of everyone else?

She sighted and walked out of the lab to take a break, and stopped when Casey cheered at her.

“Hey Casey…”

“Whatup? You seem almost as green as them?”

“Nothing, Donnie just coughed up a hairball is all..” She covered her mouth as she said it. That was probably not something she should have mentioned. April groaned as she realised they’d probably have to explain it all to Casey as well.

“He what? That’s nasty dude! But turtles don’t have fur… do they?” He inspected Raph critically.

“Ew that’s nasty! Shell no we don’t!” Raph glared at Casey. “Donnie’s a cat is all… alright? But we’re solving it... I mean... they are solving it.” He corrected after April gave him a glare.

“That’s right.” She affirmed. “Now don’t go bothering him, we have work to do, and since you’re here you might as well clean up the hairball cause I am not touching it.”

“Ew hell no! Don should do it if he did it man.” Casey made a disgusted face.

“Well he can’t.” April countered.

Raph sighted as Casey and April kept making excuses back and forth.

“FINE! I’ll do it, but you guys owe me a pizza and some bags of chips!”

They both looked at him in surprise as he walked off. Though he didn’t go to the lab, he veered off to the kitchen and looked around. He smiled when he found Mikey feeding Yoda some bacon.

“Hey Mikey! I got a job for ya!” He walked over and grabbed some paper.

“But I just started my food break..!” Mikey protested.

“Donnie made a mess in the lab, ya need to clean it up. You don’t wanna eat before, trust me.” He put the paper in Mikey’s hand, who looked suspiciously at him.

“Uh, why would I do that and what are you implying?”

“Cause I’ll get some pizza slices for you if you do.” Raph smirked a little.

“Oh alright! … But it better not be anything gross!” He pointed at Raph. “Watch Yoda while I’m gone kay?” He walked off.

“Heh.” Raph saw him leave and felt really good about his arrangement, it had been a bit of a spur at the moment but now it worked out just fine for him. He looked down at the cat who was eating, a lot.

“Well you’ll be ready to roast soon if Mikey keeps this up.” He joked lightly and petted the cat. She was quite neutral with Raph, but he realized if he had been with Donnie or anything she could be angry with him sometimes, depending on her mood, which changed a lot.

“Wonder where-“ He didn’t have to wonder for long as Yoda hissed. Alerting him to Donnie entering the kitchen looking for something, Raph made sure to grab Yoda before something happened.

Don quickly got to the kitchen to get some water, he froze and groaned when he spotted Yoda.

“Not YOU.” He thought about leaving but Raph seemed to keep a handle on her.

“I trust you got a good grip on her, because I need a drink.” He tried to sign as best he could to Raph before jumping up on the sink and turn the tap on.

Raph didn’t. He growled as Yoda bit down on his finger and let her go.

“Ouch! Why you..!”

It took all of a few seconds before there was a cat chase in the kitchen, again.

“MIKEY! Your cat’s crazy!!!” Raph yelled while he joined the chase, trying to grab any of them to make it stop.

“Guys can you keep it-“ Leo entered the kitchen and stopped in his tracks when he watched the scene of Yoda chasing Donnie and Raph chasing both of them in a flurry of chaos.

“Down…”

Donnie quickly jumped on the table and over Raph onto his shell as he tried to grab him, then over to Leo’s head as he conveniently appeared.

“Sorry! Gotta run!” He darted out of the kitchen and to safety.

Leo ducked but got a cat on his head anyway as Donnie used him like a springboard, then Raph came crashing in after with a clawing Yoda leaping from his shell.

“Aah!” They crashed loudly, Leo managed to grab Yoda when she darted over them and got scratched in the face.

“Ow! The shell Raph! I thought we agreed to not keep them in the same room!” He scolded.

“It wasn’t my fault! Okay?!” He looked up and saw Mikey glaring down at him.

“You lied! It was totally gross! But I did it anyway so you better give me at least four slices!” He pouted, then he picked up Yoda, which Leo was thankful for.

“Bad kitty, you do not scratch Leo’s face, okay? You alright dude?” He looked down at Leo who seemed quite tired of it all.

“I’ll live.” He sat up and shoved Raphael off himself. Leo touched his cheek lightly and felt the scratch marks sting a bit.

“Ow…”

Raph grunted and got up, dusting himself off and helping Leo up. 

\-----------------------------

Donnie darted into his room and hid under the covers of his bed, at least Yoda didn’t trespass in here. He was slightly sorry for the havoc he caused his brothers, but it was that or get mangled by the devil.

“I am so tired of this!” He huffed angrily, he didn’t want to fight her, but to keep running was tiresome as well.

He hid for a little while, washing himself while he waited until it seemed safe to come out. He hated the moments he couldn’t resist acting like a cat, but it was frustratingly hard not to sometimes.

“….” He peaked out of the covers and sneaked back out towards the lab when it seemed safe, he was tired of it all and would get that cure no matter what…

\--------------------------------------------

“You guys okay?” Casey peeked into the kitchen and whistled at the mess.

“We… should probably clean this up before splinter notices.. And by we I mean you.” April commented.

“Alright, Mikey, you watch Yoda, the rest of us clean, you guys… can help if you want.” Leo instructed and then looked at April and Casey.

“Well, I’ve done a lot today so I think I’m going home, I got some homework to do. But good luck guys and… try not to do any more damage? Okay?” 

“Okay red, see ya around! I can help, no problemo.” Casey shrugged and got to work.


	13. The end

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Final chapter of this rather short-ish story of absolutely no particular purpose!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this sort of makes sense! Haha, I had this idea of how I wanted it to actually be like, but then I wanted to add in more stuff and my first ending didn't really make sense anymore. So I re-wrote that part a bit.

Donnie slowly opened his eyes and looked around, he saw something green and big in front of him and felt a bit disoriented at first, but soon realised it was his own arms. He couldn’t remember falling asleep… 

He went to the lab after hiding for a while… right? Did he turn back? He yawned and lifted his head, he couldn’t remember what he did after he went to the lab… or getting anything fixed either, was it all a dream?

“..?” He froze when he felt something soft against his neck, looking slightly over his shoulders he could see a cat nestled on his neck by the top of his shell, sleeping there. That was definitely Yoda… so it wasn’t a dream? Could it be possible, had he turned back to normal just like that? Looking around carefully he spotted the canister with mutagen on his desk, he looked at it and still felt quite groggy. Why was Yoda here?

“.. Was it a dream?” He blinked and looked confusingly at the mutagen, then realised it wasn’t quite looking as it was supposed to… or was he imagining things?  
Then he heard Mikey yelling distantly from somewhere in the lair, the lab door was slightly open, he must be looking for the cat again. Perhaps he never threw it out and fell asleep... He yawned a bit and looked at the cat.

“Making my dreams weird huh? Well…” He looked at the lab door, he really hadn’t been sleeping a lot lately, and he was still rather tired. As he moved Yoda made an unhappy sound and dug her claws into his neck.

“.. Ouch! Okay, okay, I’m not moving…! You’re still just as mean I take it…” He muttered. Relieved when Yoda stopped.

“I suppose I’m just glad it was a dream… or I’d never hear the end of it.” He yawned and could feel himself slowly slipping back to sleep, slightly confused, but mostly tired.

\-----------------------------------------------

Mikey looked around for Yoda when he stopped mid-step noticing the slightly open lab door.*

“Uh-oh.. Uh.. Donnie..? You in there..?” He carefully opened it up and looked inside, prepared to find a disaster or an angry Donnie ready to launch and hiss at him for not looking after Yoda. But what he saw was something entirely different.

“Awww...” Donnie was sleeping over his desk, and the cat was curled into a ball in his neck between his head and shell, using his head slightly as a pillow. He smiled widely, seems they got a long all of a sudden?

“That’s so cute~” He took a quick photo with his T-phone before sneaking back outside and closing the door carefully. He decided to let them sleep a while more, it looked like they needed it.

Then he paused.

“Wait a minute…” He grinned wide and excitedly rushed back to the others when realisation hit him.

“He’s back!!”

“What?” The others perked up and looked at Mikey who seemed very excited.

“Donnie’s normal!” He smiled wide at them, it took a few seconds for everyone to realise.

“Why didn’t you tell us sooner, or better yet, why didn’t he tell us?! We’ve been sitting here worrying sick about what else to do..!” Raph almost yelled out annoyed, but he couldn’t help but feel relieved and happy about the news.

“Ssssh guys!” Mikey hushed and put a finger to his mouth. “He’s sleeping! I didn’t wanna wake him up cause he seemed to need it… Suppose that’s why he didn’t tell us!” Mikey said happily.

“Well I am relieved to hear Donatello is back to normal, it would seem prominent to let him rest for now and ask questions later.” Splinter said in agreement as he entered the room, not being able to help overhearing the news. And indeed very glad to hear his son did not need to spend the rest of his life as a cat. That would have been tricky on more than one level.

“Yea I suppose… but we hadn’t run all the tests yet, I’m not so sure he would have been able to. It’s not like he can do it on his own...” April said hesitantly, how could he have pulled it off? She had gone home for the day as Donnie monitored the things in the lab, but there was no way he could do more than turn on or off the instruments…

“Well the main point is we got Donnie back, which is a relief cause I need the toaster fixed again. … Not that that is... uhm... the most important part.” Leo coughed and hastily wished he had not pointed that out in the same sentence, looking awkwardly at the floor.

“Whatevs as long as we got our brother back!” Raph smiled wide and stretched out on the sofa, satisfied. Then he fell asleep right there as he relaxed back for the first time since they had realised Donnie was gone and had turned into a cat.  
“Perhaps we all are in need of some rest.” Splinter chuckled a little as Raph snored away on the sofa.

\--------------------------------

A few weeks later.

Donnie huffed as he sat on the sofa, rubbing a bit on the bandage covering his most recent scratch marks from Yoda. Mikey had been making cat jokes for WEEKS. 

He was tired of hearing “Are you sure you’re feline fine?” and “Can you paws me the salt?” 

As amazing as it was that he actually managed to come up with so many cat puns and jokes, it was also starting to get really annoying, sure it was amusing for a while, and still seemed to amuse Leo, for some reason, but so annoying.

Leonardo really tried to hide the smile when Mikey fired off his jokes, but Donnie could tell he was definitely holding back a giggle, trying to play the diplomatic and serious leader as he usually did. Raph however had grown quite tired of them, though the first week he had found them really funny.

Overall he was quite disappointed when he had found out it wasn’t a dream, and more so that he couldn’t remember how he fixed it. His memory of the event was hazy at best and he was unable to take notes and therefore had no records of it. The only thing he had was the different canisters, which he had started to run all sorts of tests on.

To make matters worse he had kept coughing up a few hairballs after the incident, which was definitely on his top ten list of grossness, and very embarrassing. He was relieved when it passed, which the others probably also were. Raph had accidentally stepped on one and Donnie had quickly fled to avoid a beat down. If it wasn’t for the fact that Yoda had a different colour he would have blamed it on her instead.

“Well at least the little devil isn’t bothering me as much...” Donnie sighted, after he had turned back Yoda had done an almost 180 on him, even using him as a pillow sometimes. Unfortunately she also used him as a scratching pole as well, and he could never tell which her intentions were. But it wasn’t nearly as bad as before, he just didn’t get why she was so…

“She is SO unpredictable… It’s frustrating. Maybe it’s a weird cat thing?” He half complained.

“Maybe she just hates other cats, and sometimes remembers you were one.” Raph suggested as he flipped through the channels, not finding anything of interest. He couldn’t believe he was so bored he joined in another discussion about Mikey’s damn cat of madness. 

“She probably doesn’t get I was the cat she tried to chase away… she might have been territorial? But she never had issues with ice cream kitty.. Though she has been quite mean to everyone but Mikey during the last few days...” He shrugged. Territory seemed like a reason, but she had been ridiculously aggressive. It just seemed to lack as a proper reason, at least from their point of view.

“Speaking of the devil…” He looked around, he hadn’t seen her all day… and she hadn’t shown up when Mikey usually put out the food.

“..?” Then he spotted her walking in, his jaw dropping as he saw what she was carrying in her mouth. A kitten.

“What the…” He looked as she strutted quickly across the floor, past them, with the little kitten, it looked to be no older than a day or two.

“..Or maybe she was pregnant.” He finished. Slightly stunned.

“That would explain… Aah! Oh no, you are NOT nesting in my lab..!” Donnie protested and scrambled to get up and stop her when he saw she made her way inside the lab, apparently deciding that was a great spot.

“…” Raph just stared at the whole thing.  
“Uh… Mikey?! I think we found the reason for your cat’s crankiness!” Raph yelled out across the lair.

\----------------------

Donnie glared at Yoda while April and Leo just talked about how cute the kittens were.

“Aww but they are SO cute! You can’t just throw them out of here..!”

“Yea they are, if they don’t end up like their mom. I just got her off my back and now she’s bothering me again… I swear she is doing it on purpose.” He grumbled as Yoda placed another little kitten in his lab, being completely in the way so he had to work around her and the kittens.

She jabbed her paws at him if he walked by too close so he had to walk in a circle around, which was annoying.

“My book states she shouldn’t be disturbed and left in peace, so we gotta respect the mom yo.” Mikey chimed in, then couldn’t help but gush over the cute kittens.

“I get it but... what about my work? She could pick ANYWHERE better than HERE. But noooo, it had to be here..!” He face palmed and sighted, giving up completely.

Well, at least the kittens were cute to look at and everyone seemed to enjoy doing just that, even if Don couldn’t really do any experiments in there for a while. Perhaps a break was needed anyway, there was always the shell raiser to work on. Despite everything, at least he could do something again.

THE END!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright! So that was that! I felt that adding a chapter or two just explaining exactly how he got back to normal would simply be just boring, but mutagen is always involved. Either way I hope this all sort of made sense in it's simplicity, anything that feels off or missing, just say it and I'll see what I can do!
> 
> I kinda like the theme of Mikey bringing stuff in that causes things, so I think I'll keep that theme up for my next writing exercise. Though in this case Yoda wasn't the best thing he could have brought in, probably. I read a lot about cat behaviour for this one though! Which was rather fun.


End file.
